1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to packaging containers, and more particularly to a tamper evident closure member, or lid, for a container.
2. Description of the Related Art
In today's retail market, producers of consumer products package a wide number of items in reclosable containers. In particular, producers use reclosable containers to package almost every conceivable food or perishable product. However, a significant danger from accidental or malicious tampering exists when using reclosable containers for such products. Accordingly, producers have developed a wide number of reclosable containers having tamper indication mechanisms for protecting unknowing consumers from these tamper-related dangers. For example, a typical tamper indication mechanism is a lid having a removably attached ring. If the ring is broken, the consumer will know that the contents of the container may be compromised.
However, using the ring to indicate tampering has a variety of drawbacks. For example, the consumer may have to use multiple steps to remove the ring. An example of this is found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,682,706, issued to DeVore et al. on Jul. 28, 1987, disclosing a lid where the consumer first must circumferentially tear off the ring before removing the lid. Other tamper-evident rings require consumers to independently pull multiple tabs or entire ring sections before they are able to remove the lid. Such machinations reduce the desirability and aesthetics of the reclosable container and may force the producer to have to choose between aesthetic functionality and consumer safety.
Furthermore, tamper-evident lids often should satisfy several other design criteria. For example, typically the lid is made from a single injection mold, thereby requiring straightforwardness in lid design. Also, the producer may package the contents of the container in an assembly-line type setting where a high speed capping machine separates each lid and engages it with a newly filled container. Often, these high-speed capping machines also dictate straightforwardness in lid design.
Accordingly, a need exists for a safe, aesthetically pleasing, tamper-evident, reclosable lid having a design that is straightforward enough to be made from a single injection mold, to be used in a high speed capping system, and to be easily removed from the container.